The  Mming 


2^Ne¥  China 


By  Rev.  J.  T.  ^octor,  Huchow,  China 


The  British  have  the  term  “empire-building”;  it  is  descriptive  of  the  nation’s 
purpose  and  work  during  the  past  century.  This  term  “ empire-building  ” 
has  suggested  our  theme,  “ The  Making  of  New  China.”  The  whole 
Christian  world  has  been  united  for  more  than  a century  in  the  task  of  making  over 
the  old  China,  whose  position  the  Chinese  themselves  are  now  coming  to  realize 
is  altogether  an  impossibility  in  this  twentieth  century.  A New  China  is  a world- 
necessity. 

China,  without  doubt,  is  the  oldest  nation  on  the  earth,  and  we  know  of  no 
antecedent  nation  from  which  she  derived  her  civilization.  Invaded  by  the  tartar 
hordes  from  the  north  and  west,  she  has  in  every  instance  conquered  the  con- 
querors by  her  language  and  civilization.  Other  nations  of  both  ancient  and  mod- 
ern times  have  borrowed  extensively ; but  China  hitherto  has  borrowed  almost 
nothing.  Pier  government,  language,  literature,  philosophy  and  religion  — her 
whole  civilization  are  all  her  own.  It  would  seem  that  Buddhism  alone  had  been 
borrowed ; and  Buddhism,  refusing  to  become  assimilated,  is  to  this  day  recognized 
by  the  Chinese  themselves  as  foreign.  James  Legge  in  his  work,  “ The  Religions 
of  China,”  does  not  mention  it. 

Again,  China  has  never  felt  the  need  of  foreign  commerce,  while  in  military 
strength,  until  within  the  last  century,  it  has  dominated  the  Orient.  It  is  a 
well  known  fact  that  when  the  European  nations  opened  diplomatic  relations  with 
the  Chinese  Government,  their  first  representatives  were  received  in  the  hall  set 
apart  for  the  reception  of  bearers  of  tribute,  because  China  had  never  before  in  all 
her  history  received  representatives  from  any  other  than  the  tribute-paying  nations 
that  surrounded  her. 

I 


In  contrast  with  this  is  the  record  of  Japan,  whose  language,  literature,  philos- 
ophy and  religion  are  all  borrowed  directly  from  China.  Every  Japanese,  who 
is  not  a Christian,  reveres  or  worships  Confucius,  a Chinese  sage  ; while  com- 
mercially, the  Japanese  have  always  been  connected  with  older  and  stronger 
nations. 

China,  considering  her  size  and  past  record,  has  already  made  most  marvelous 
progress  in  receiving  modern  ideas.  This  astonishing  fact  is  most  evident  to 
foreigners  who  live  within  her  borders.  It  took  centuries  for  Europe  to  become 
permeated  with  Christian  thought ; but  we  must  remember,  also,  that  less  than  a 
half  century  ago  it  required  months  to  cross  the  Pacific  Ocean.  It  does  not  seem 
incredible  that  the  combined  forces  of  Christendom  can  today  accomplish  more 
for  civilization  in  one  decade  than  was  accomplished  in  the  first  century  of  our  era. 

Those  who  know  her  best  assuredly  believe  that  the  Chinese  nation,  when  Chris- 
tianized, will  become  the  strongest  nation  of  the  Orient ; and,  with  her  capacity  for 
government  and  the  recognized  colonizing  ability,  will  give  to  Christianity  at  once 
the  strongest  and  the  most  missionary  character  yet  manifested  by  any  other  than 
the  Anglo-Saxon  race. 

The  forces  which  are  making  for  a new  China  are  manifold.  Like  an  atmo- 
sphere they  press  in  on  every  side  of  Chinese  life.  Her  home  administration  and 
foreign  relations,  her  commercial,  literary,  moral  and  religious  life  are  being  changed 
by  foreign  influences,  while  the  territorial  integrity  of  the  empire  is  being  guaran- 
teed and  the  general  government  is  being  strengthened  and  transformed.  We  shall 
treat  of  these  forces  under  five  divisions  : the  influence  of  war,  of  commerce,  of 
the  press,  of  the  school,  and  of  gospel  preaching. 


Ci^e  influence  of  Wat 


HINA  has  been  brought  into  vital  contact  with  the  modern  world  through 


her  foreign  wars,  of  which  she  had  four  in  the  century  prior  to  the  year  1900. 
The  first  was  with  Great  Britain  in  1840;  the  second  with  Great  Britain  and 
France  in  1858  ; the  third  with  France  in  1885  ; and  the  fourth  with  Japan  in 
1894-5.  All  four  came  through  commercial  relations.  While  in  each  China  was 
ignominiously  defeated,  she  never  once  acknowledged  defeat  to  her  own  people. 
The  masses  were  officially  deceived  by  the  imperial  proclamations  that  her  armies 


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had  been  victorious.  When  at  length,  in  1900,  the  combined  armies  of  the  powers 
marched  to  Peking  and  took  possession  of  their  capital,  scattering  their  armies, 
the  government  could  no  longer  conceal  from  the  most  ignorant  its  utter  helpless- 
ness and  disgrace ; and  the  masses  of  the  people,  be  it  said  to  their  credit,  were 
not  displeased  with  the  victory  of  the  foreigner. 

China  is  learning  her  lesson.  The  nation  has  been  mightily  stirred.  Great 
modern  arsenals  are  running  double  time  preparing  the  most  modern  weapons  and 
armaments.  In  almost  every  province  large  armies  are  being  constantly  drilled 
by  foreign  drill-masters,  largely  Japanese,  in  modern  tactics  ; so  in  every  way  China 
is  preparing,  not  to  wage  war  against  the  world,  but  simply  to  protect  herself.  In 
this  she  will  succeed,  and  we  shall  not  regret  it. 

China’s  wars  have  been  costly;  but  they  have  brought  an  ample  recompense, 
the  immediate  results  being  briefly  summarized  as  follows  : The  exclusive  policy 
of  the  Manchu  Government  is  broken  down  and  the  nation  is  brought  both  diplo- 
matically and  commercially  into  the  family  of  nations  ; the  whole  country  is  opened 
to  missionaries  ; native  Christians  have  freedom  from  persecution  ; and  all  the 
world-forces  are  free  in  molding  a new  civilization. 

2,  Ci^e  influence  of  Commerce 

Foreign  commerce  has  assumed  large  proportions.  One  hundred  years  ago 
foreigners  had  no  permanent  foothold  on  Chinese  soil,  being  confined  within 
Macao,  a Portuguese  colony,  or  compelled  to  remain  on  their  own  trading  vessels. 
Even  as  late  as  1840  not  only  business  men,  but  even  representatives  of  European 
governments,  were  tolerated  in  the  so-called  “ factories  ” of  Canton  only  after  they 
had  given  bond  through  the  Chinese  merchant  princes  for  their  good  behavior. 
Today  more  than  thirty  treaty  ports  are  open  to  foreign  residence  and  commerce  ; 
nearly  20,000  Europeans  and  Americans  are  engaged  in  business ; and  the  com- 
bined import  and  export  trade  amounts  to  some  ^450.000,000  gold  per  annum. 
The  foreign  business  population  of  China  is  confined  mainly  to  two  cities,  Shang- 
hai and  Hongkong.  The  latter,  one  mile  from  the  mainland,  was  once  a Chinese 
possession  but  now  is  a British  colony.  Eoreign  families,  however,  are  in  almost 
every  province  and  come  in  daily  contact  with  China’s  millions  in  innumerable 
ways  and  with  incalculable  influence.  Shanghai  is  the  largest  port  in  the  Orient, 

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its  foreign  population  approximating  8,000  and  the  native  population  1,000,000. 
It  is  called  the  “ Model  Settlement,”  because  both  the  business  men  and  mission- 
aries are  ambitious  to  make  its  institutions  and  government  models  for  Chinese 
local  city  governments.  Thus,  in  manifold  ways,  commerce  in  China,  as  elsewhere, 
is  a civilizing  agency. 

With  her  system  of  river  steamers,  her  steam-launch  lines  plying  her  extensive 
system  of  canals,  her  many  railways  connecting  the  distant  parts  of  the  empire, 
her  mines  opening  and  machinery  coming  from  the  Western  land,  China  is  already 
unalterably  committed  to  a new  era  of  progress. 

3.  influence  of  pvm 

WHEN  missionaries  first  landed  in  China  they,  with  the  traders,  were  con- 
fined to  Macao,  to  the  “ factories  ” in  Canton,  and  later  on  to  Hongkong. 
During  those  early  years,  literary  work  was  both  necessary  and  most  practicable. 
Little  preaching  was  possible  while  the  language  had  to  be  learned,  dictionaries 
made,  the  Scriptures  translated  and  the  beginnings  of  Christian  literature  created. 
Morrison  gave  himself  primarily  to  this  work.  S.  Wells  Williams,  for  twenty  years 
not  permitted  to  enter  within  the  walls  of  a native  city,  laid  the  foundations  of  the 
present  extensive  publishing  business. 

There  are  now  three  great  presses  in  China:  (^r)  The  Presbyterian  Mission 
Press  of  Shanghai,  one  of  the  great  printing  plants  of  the  world,  employing  hun- 
dreds of  men,  is  perhaps  the  best  known  foreign  institution  in  the  empire.  {l>) 
The  American  Methodists,  north  and  south,  have  united  in  building  a large  print- 
ing establishment  in  Shanghai  and  a branch  house  in  Fuchow.  (<:)  The  American 
Baptists,  also,  north  and  south,  have  united  in  a China  Baptist  Publication  Society 
with  a press  in  Canton.  They  have  a plant  worth  some  $20,000,  with  unlimited 
opportunities  as  the  only  mission  press  in  all  south  China.  These  three  publish- 
ing houses  are  busy,  in  fact  have  more  than  they  can  possibly  do,  in  supplying 
Christian  literature  for  the  Chinese.  The  literature  includes  the  Bible  in  the  sev- 
eral Chinese  versions,  religious  papers,  text-books,  commentaries  and  many  other 
translated  or  Chinese  works. 

The  production  of  literature  is  stimulated  by  two  great  societies : a general 
educational  society  and  The  Society  for  the  Diffusion  of  Christian  and  General 

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Knowledge.  The  former  aims  to  secure  all  the  missionary  talent  of  the  empire 
for  making  text-books ; the  latter  encourages  the  production  of  all  kinds  of  litera- 
ture, secular  and  religious,  as  its  only  test-asking,  “ Will  it  help  to  uplift  the  Chi- 
nese ? ” In  this  work  some  of  the  strongest  men  in  the  missionary  body  are 
engaged ; and  perhaps  no  work  done  today  is  more  far-reaching  in  its  influence. 

Mission  work  bears  its  best  fruitage  when  it  helps  the  natives  to  do  for  them- 
selves the  same  kind  of  work  which  has  been  attempted  by  the  mission.  Meas- 
ured by  this  standard,  literary  work  in  China  has  been  most  successful.  Some 
years  ago  daily  Chinese  newspapers  were  started  in  both  Hongkong  and  Shang- 
hai. Their  models  were  the  publications  of  the  mission  presses ; and  the  large 
English  dailies  also  published  for  the  European  and  American  agents  in  Hong- 
kong or  Shanghai,  who  conduct  the  business  of  the  whole  world  with  the  empire. 

While  the  Chinese  have  been  imitating  these  great  English  dailies  for  years, 
until  1900  their  papers  were  printed  in  the  ancient  classical  style  so  popular  with 
the  literati,  but  unintelligible  to  other  people.  Since  then,  however,  the  Chinese 
publishers,  bidding  for  the  patronage  of  the  business  world,  have  been  forced  to 
colloquialize  their  papers  to  make  them  readable.  Their  subscription  lists  have 
grown  by  leaps  and  bounds.  Not  only  so,  but  all  through  the  provinces  similar 
papers  are  now  published  in  the  colloquial. 

It  is  a most  interesting  and  important  fact  that  the  leading  secular  daily  paper, 
not  only  of  Shanghai  but  of  the  whole  empire.  The  North  China  Herald,  is  owned 
and  edited  by  a Christian  missionary.  As  it  is  known  to  have  the  largest  circu- 
lation, it  is  imitated  by  the  Chinese  newspaper  world ; and  being  not  only  pro- 
foreign  but  pro-Christian,  it  has  a vast  influence  for  righteousness.  To  stimulate 
the  Chinese  to  produce  modern  papers  and  then  direct  them  in  their  early  efforts, 
is  real  and  effective  missionary  work. 

4,  influence  of  ^cl^ool 

From  the  beginning  of  mission  work  in  China  the  mission  school  has  been  an 
important  factor.  Besides  making  disciples,  we  must  teach  them.  The  school 
has  done  both.  The  boys  are  more  easily  reached  than  the  fathers,  and  frequently 
the  fathers  are  won  through  the  boys.  Heathen  homes  are  entered,  prejudices 
dispelled,  communities  and  cities  are  opened  and  won  by  the  schools.  Above  all 
this,  education  provides  responsible  leaders  for  the  future  Church. 

5 


Mission  schools  are  dual  in  their  course  of  study.  The  Chinese  education  fits 
the  pupil  only  to  read  and  write  well  his  own  language  — a most  difficult  task, 
however,  with  40,000  characters  to  be  committed  to  memory.  The  leaders  of 
the  Church  must  be  masters  of  their  own  language  to  gain  the  respect  of  the  liter- 
ary Chinese;  but  they  ought  also  to  know  the  branches  taught  in  our  Western 
schools,  hence  we  teach  both.  This  often  requires  two  sets  of  teachers. 

Mission  schools  are  found  in  nearly  every  province,  and  range  from  the 
primary  and  boarding  school  to  academy,  college  and  theological  seminary.  It 
is  the  policy  of  many  missions  to  have  a primary  school  in  every  outstation,  a 
boarding  school  in  every  main  station,  an  academy  in  every  mission  or  group  of 
mission  stations,  and  a college  and  theological  seminary  for  two  or  more  missions. 
Perhaps  the  best  college  in  China  is  St.  John’s  College  in  Shanghai,  under  the 
auspices  of  the  American  Episcopalians.  Set  in  a beautiful  campus  is  a fine  group 
of  buildings  with  modern  equipment.  Here  is  a large  body  of  students  with  their 
athletic  sports  and  modern  text-books,  and  a large  faculty  of  both  American  pro- 
fessors and  Chinese  instructors,  many  of  whom  are  graduates  from  American  Uni- 
versities. The  institution  is  doing  college-grade  work.  The  southern  Methodists 
have  two  schools  that  do  college  work ; the  northern  Methodists  have  at 
least  three;  the  Presbyterians  have  three  or  more;  the  Congregationalists  have 
two,  as  have  also  the  Church  Mission,  the  London  Mission,  and,  in  fact,  all  of  the 
stronger  societies.  These  academies  and  colleges  reach  almost  every  section  of 
the  country.  In  this  connection  it  is  most  interesting  to  notice  that  the  American 
Presbyterians  and  English  Baptists,  whose  work  adjoins  in  the  Shangtung  Prov- 
ince, have  united  there  in  the  support  of  a college  and  theological  seminary.  One 
denomination  establishes  and  conducts  a theological  seminary  and  both  denomi- 
nations patronize  it,  and  the  other  denomination  conducts  a college  and  both 
patronize  it.  A similar  arrangement  is  just  being  made  in  Peking  between  the 
Presbyterians,  the  Methodists  and  the  Congregationalists,  in  conducting  three 
schools  — a college,  a theological  seminary  and  a medical  school.  The  Southern 
Baptist  Convention  and  the  American  Baptist  Missionarj  Union  have  arranged 
to  establish  and  conduct  jointly  in  Shanghai,  a union  college  and  theological  sem- 
inary. Eor  this  school  $40,000  has  been  promised  by  the  two  boards,  and  it  is 
hoped  that  the  land  can  be  bought  and  the  buildings  erected  before  the  end  of  1906. 

Our  system  of  mission  schools  is  bearing  its  natural,  logical  fruitage  in  stimu- 

6 


lating  the  Chinese  Government  to  establish  a similar  system  under  imperial  patron- 
age. In  the  year  1898,  the  young  emperor  issued  an  imperial  edict  to  confiscate 
all  Buddhist  and  Taoist  temples  and  use  the  projaerty  to  establish  Western  schools. 

It  was  this  edict  more  than  anything  else  that  brought  on  the  Boxer  uprising; 
but  since  1900  the  empress  dowager  herself  has  been  forced  by  public  sentiment 
to  issue  a more  practical  educational  edict,  opening  Western  schools  at  public  ex- 
pense in  every  province  and  in  every  county.  The  immediate  resultis  more  than  2,000 
primary  and  intermediate  schools,  whose  influence  is  felt  in  many  communities. 
Inasmuch  as  almost  the  only  conception  the  officials  have  of  the  Western  school 
has  been  gained  from  the  mission  school,  they  are  copying  our  schools,  carefully 
omitting  all  Scripture  teaching  and  Sunday  observance.  Even  this  means  a great 
deal ; and  furthermore,  they  are  obliged  to  employ,  as  teachers  of  Western  learning, 
young  men  educated  in  our  academies  and  colleges.  It  is,  then,  our  privilege  to- 
day to  put  the  Christian  stamp  on  the  teachers  of  these  more  than  2,000  primary 
and  intermediate  schools.  And  it  behooves  American  Christians  so  to  increase 
the  capacity  of  their  mission  schools  that  they  can  continue  to  supply  the  Chinese 
Government  with  teachers  so  well  trained  that  they  cannot  afford  to  have  teachers 
from  any  other  source,  not  even  from  Japan,  as  is  the  tendency  just  now. 

Besides  this,  eleven  of  the  eighteen  provinces  have  already  established  universi- 
ties, in  at  least  eight  of  which  prominent  missionary  educators  have  been  invited 
to  be  presidents;  and  in  one  of  these,  in  order  to  secure  the  missionary  desired, 
the  government  agreed  to  the  principle  and  established  the  precedent  of  religious 
liberty,  admitting  Christian  boys  on  the  same  basis  as  non-Christians.  With  pro- 
foreign,  if  not  pro-Christian  teachers  in  the  primary  and  intermediate  schools  and 
with  prominent  missionary  educators  presiding  over  their  provincial  universities, 
what  may  we  not  expect  from  this  new  system  of  schools  in  the  Chinese  Empire  ? 

5*  Ci^e  3!nfluence  of  (0o0pel 

Not  to  deal  with  the  very  large  work  of  the  medical  missionary,  the  gospel 
evangelist,  above  all,  has  been  the  pioneer  of  Western  civilization  in  every 
section  of  the  Chinese  Empire.  Missionaries  are  working  today  in  almost  every 
prefecture  of  each  province.  They  know  the  Chinese  language  and  live  with  the 
people.  They  have  a score  of  avenues  into  the  homes  and  hearts  that  are  closed 

7 


to  all  other  foreigners.  Nine  tenths  of  the  Chinese  who  know  the  foreigner  at  all 
know  him  as  a missionary,  and  through  him  only  they  know  the  world.  The  mis- 
sionary is  preeminently  the  go-between  for  the  Occident  and  the  Orient,  as  well 
as  the  pioneer  of  civilization.  Trade  follows  the  missionary. 

But  in  addition  to  all  this  work,  and  more  important  than  it  all,  is  his  primary 
task,  so  well  begun,  of  introducing  the  saving  gospel  of  Jesus  Christ  into  every 
community  and  into  every  grade  of  Chinese  life.  The  most  significant  thing  about 
the  gospel  is  its  power  to  make  a new  man.  Jesy^  Christ  gives  a man  a new 
birth  and  then  enables  him  to  live  a new  life.  This  is  true  in  the  actual  experi- 
ence of  mission  work.  It  is  further  self-evident  that  China  will  be  made  new  just 
as  men  are  made  new.  A new  nation  cannot  be  made  out  of  unrenewed  material. 
The  results  which  are  already  manifest,  and  which  are  so  encouraging,  spring 
primarily  from  direct  gospel  w'ork.  It  is  precisely  because  the  gospel  has  been 
preached,  and  is  being  preached,  in  all  China,  that  the  whole  empire  is  feeling 
the  impulse  of  a new  life. 

Much  as  commerce,  press  and  schools  have  done,  the  thousands  from  abroad 
preaching  the  gospel  every  day,  and  the  five  or  six  thousand  native  preachers  doing 
the  same,  in  cities,  towns,  hamlets  and  dales,  reaching  the  people  every  week  by 
the  hundred  thousands,  these  are  the  principal  agents  who  are  to  make  the  new 
nation  that  is  to  be.  The  seed  has  been  planted,  and  we  have  to  await  the 
fruitage  — a new  China  — renewed  and  glorified  by  Jesus  Christ. 


American  Baptist  Missionary  Union  Boston,  Massachusetts 
Sample  Copies  Free.  cents  per  Hundred 


859 — 2 Ed.  1800.  July,  1909. 


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